The present invention relates to a knee bolster of a vehicle to protect a knee of a passenger in a vehicle collision.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2009-83747 or Japanese Utility-Model Registration No. 2511352, for example, a knee bolster (knee protector) to protect a knee of a passenger in a vehicle collision is provided in front of a lower portion of an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle so as to receive the passenger's knee, absorbing an impact.
Specifically, the knee bolster disclosed in the above-described first publication is formed in a hat shape in a side view such that a rearward-protrusion portion is formed at a middle portion, in a vertical direction, of that. Upper and lower end portions of the knee bolster are respectively fixed to a pair of upper-and-lower instrument panel members which is provided in front of an instrument panel and extends in a vehicle width direction. According to the structure of this publication, the knee bolster firmly supported at the two instrument panel members can receive a load from the passenger's knee in the vehicle collision surely, so that the knee bolster can absorb a collision impact through deformation of the above-described protrusion portion thereof. Thereby, protecting the passenger's knee is achieved.
Meanwhile, the knee bolster disclosed in the above-described second publication comprises an impact absorbing member attached to a steering column and a reception-face portion attached to a rear end portion of the impact absorbing member. Likewise, according to the structure of this publication, the knee bolster can surely receive the load from the passenger's knee in the vehicle collision at the reception-face portion, thereby absorbing the collision impact through deformation of the impact absorbing member, whereby the passenger's knee can be protected.
However, since the technology disclosed in the first publication premises that the instrument panel member as a vehicle-body member, to which the knee bolster is fixed, is comprised of a pair of upper-and-lower members, application of this technology may be limited to this kind of vehicle only.
In a case where the technology disclosed in the second publication is applied, the impact absorbing member attached to the steering column may improperly interfere with any components provided to surround the steering column, such as a drive unit of an electromotive power steering mechanism, a car audio, a car navigation and a coin box, or any attaching brackets of such components. Accordingly, there is a problem in that this technology may not be used properly in this situation.